1. Hate speech on the Internet should be restricted.
This principle calls for a group of moderators appointed by ISPs offering hosting; private publishers; social networking (including online dating and matrimonial) site publishers; and wiki, blog, and forum operators, to monitor the content of posted/hosted items against any “speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on…any… distinction that might be considered by some as a liability” (Wikipedia). In order to “restrict” hate speech, or any online content, those posting will have to give up a certain amount of power to whatever authority determines their “speech” as “hateful” or controversial. Conflict can be avoided if publishers state the definition of “hate speech” in their terms of use agreement. The principle allows a certain amount of censorship, and is expected to cause “free speech” controversy.


2. The Internet should not be censored.
If users want pornography to be restricted from web sites, hate speech to be removed from forums, graphic images and indecent exposure to remain out-of-the-norm in online mediums, or any other form of modification to original content, they will have to give up the argument against “censoring” the Internet. Perhaps this principle should be modified to determine exceptions, or to specify content restrictions on certain types of web sites. Censorship requirements for childrens’ web sites, for instance, will differ from those geared specifically towards adults, or adult singles (a cocktail recipe website may allow, for instance, banner ads for bars or online dating/local hook-ups).


3. Online courses should remain an option for students.
Based on personal experience, I am in favor of online courses: while I was undergoing GI diagnosis last summer, they allowed me to work from my computer at home instead of having to travel to class. Furthermore, online professors were generally accessible, because they frequently checked their e-mails and online student forums—I never had to make an appointment for office hours. Finally, I was able to take a required class even while my professor was conducting research in South America—his travel schedule didn’t interfere with my course schedule. Students should not be coerced into taking a certain course online. As long as online courses are a mere alternative, they should be used to a student’s personal advantage and convenience.


4. Creative work posted on the Internet should be under the same copyright umbrella as traditionally published creative materials.
In order to establish the legitimacy of the Internet, particularly as a platform for original production (such as writing or work samples requested by employers), it must be put under the same restrictions and procedures of evaluation as accredited, tangible sources of information. Also, most Internet sites, like open forums, readily provide information, which can make it easy to steal and replicate as one’s own. Copyright laws can protect posted content, which would encourage more educated writers to publish their work without worrying about it being plagiarized.


5. Children under the age of 18 should not be allowed to create a social networking account.
Although 18 isn’t necessarily the wisest age in a person’s life, it is the age determined by the government as sufficient for military participation, purchase of cigarettes and porn, and pro-creating. An 18 year-old can be tried by civil court, and is exempt from a large number of serious legal protections involving minors, such as statutory rape. So if an 18 year old decides to post provocative pictures of them self online, or ends up in a relationship with a cyber-buddy, they are much less likely to face legal consequences than a minor.


6. Businesses/companies should not access potential employees' blogs and/or social networking page.
Uncontrolled voyeurism on the Internet makes it impossible to determine who may, at an unknown point of time, access someone’s public, unrestricted blog or social networking page. However, from an ethical perspective, potential employers should not hunt for personal information about their employees without their knowledge, especially because of the consequences implied by such a search (such as loss of a dream job to drunk pictures online). By allowing a candidate into their office, and introducing them to a professional opportunity, an employer suggests a certain relationship with them. This relationship should be kept professional, and outside the scope of either party’s online activity. Potential employees should not be scrutinized for any activity, as they are not a formal part of the company. Current employees, who follow company rules and operate equipment as instructed, rather, are parties responsible to any employer.


7. Privacy settings, company regulations and other information regarding all Internet use ought to be simple and easily accessible for users.
No one should have to lose their job simply because they didn’t know the extent of surveillance of online and offline activity in their office. Employers persecute employees for misrepresenting the office, or instigating any form of harmful consequences through their online actions, using company property (such as computers and bandwidth). Employees should be made aware, with examples, of what constitutes “harmful” or “detrimental” action, of who is watching their actions, and why they shouldn’t be performing any such action. While interning at a law firm, I was told my boss could backtrack my every keystroke. That knowledge kept me extremely careful about the web sites I visited, and of preventive action such as logging off when I was away from my computer.


8. Social networking web sites should determine a strict method of verifying user identity and age.
I’m not sure how it could be done, but I believe that if the issue were more hard-pressed, site owners would at least derive specific criteria to determine user age and/or identity. My friends studying Economics insist that necessity gives birth to ideas—which is why, apparently, America will never run out of fuel resources, because necessity will give rise to alternatives (how optimistic). If I were tech-savvy enough, I’d come up with a specific method of verifying user identities on web sites like “Blogger,” “Facebook,” “Xanga,” “Myspace,” and “EHarmony”. Providing serious identification such as a driver’s license number may be an option, but probably one too risky to remain practical. For the safety of minors, and to help predators for using fake identities to communicate online, however, serious measures must be taken.


9. Society should not become one with the computer.
People should remain aware of the world existing beyond the Internet. As social beings, we remain interested in the activities of our peers, or even strangers in our social sphere, which we learn of through public blogs and other web sites designed to publish personal information. We should not forget, however, the charm of hearing someone’s actual voice while communicating—as opposed to the voice we imagine in IM’s and text messages. Story telling is a lot more fun when reactions are audible, so while reading blogs is fun, people should not forget the value of live conversation. When I’m in a waiting room, I don’t text-message friends complaining about the wait; I just convey it to the people sitting next to me, and we always have at least that one issue in agreement.


10. Medical web sites that are not accredited by the National Institution of Health or associated with a hospital should be removed.
Although his writing is usually limited to dark erotica (which I do not indulge in by the way), Anthony Beal speaks my mind when he asks “when someone will grow the testicles to say to Americans everywhere, 'Enough with the self-medicating.' Seriously” (thinkexist.com). Online information is acquired rapidly, and on sites published by the NIH it is free, so the temptation to look up symptoms before seeing a specialist is understandable. However, getting lost in the plethora of un-accredited medical web sites is dangerous, and obviously slows down proper treatment. Appointing a police force to hunt and remove un-accredited web sites may be impractical. More realistically, search engines should not list medical web sites in symptom/key word searches that are not NIH-branched or associated with a hospital.


11. The Internet should not be owned or controlled by any one person or organization.
The Internet is not a solid, tangible entity, and as long as users are able to compete over superior HTML skills and publishing methods, no single entity will be able to contain it, or lock it away from users according to their preference. If the government, hypothetically, attempts to censor Google search results, this will only be detrimental to Google, because the public will give birth to a newer, “freer” search engine in reaction.


12. The Internet should encourage responsible government participation.
News broadcast and related web sites do an efficient job of listing candidate policies, speech overviews, campaign reports, international activity, and other pre and post election events that can keep interested public informed on the political sphere. People should take advantage of information present on various online news sources to develop their own political opinions, and perhaps reactions to speculative debates. News web sites also offer public sections for people to comment on important issues, and are increasing coverage of public opinion posted on political and social blogs, as well as popular YouTube videos.